Ways to Imprint
by LittleFairyAV
Summary: There's more than one way to imprint. Romantic, hilarious, bizzare, or just plain AWKWARD, these are imprinting oneshots to make you laugh, cry, or sigh. It's hard to describe, but trust me- if you like werewolves, you'll like this.
1. Made to Order

_An imprint can happen anywhere at anytime, and I often entertain myself with making up imprinting scenarios in my head. Thats how I came up with the idea of posting a collection of imprinting oneshots taking place in sweet, awkward, romantic, difficult, or just plain bizzarre circumstances. Most of the time, I'll just pick a random werewolf as my narrator, but there may be times when the werewolf's identity is an important part of the story. Note: These are ONESHOTS, not stories. They are beginnings, but I don't intend to turn any into full stories. (I'm to busy working on my own full imprinting story, Stormy Hearts.)If for some reason, you want to use one as a jumping off point for a story, that's OK, just please credit me and let me know._

_Love, LittleFairyAV_

Ways to Imprint #1

**Made to Order**

"You're late, Call!" my boss shouted in an exasperated tone, as I rushed into the cramped kitchen, pulling on my uniform as I ran. I banged my head on one of the copper pots hanging from the ceiling, my yelp of pain joining the racket of clanging metal. I looked around and saw the kitchen staff staring at my clumsy entrance and cringed. Most looked on with crabby disapproval for interrupting their work, but Quil, the only other werewolf on staff, was clearly choking on his laughter. I shot him an evil glare, which only caused him to start outright laughing.

"Call!" my boss snapped again, and I looked down at the bald, red faced man.

"Third time this week, Call! I am losing my patience with you, boy!"

Seeing this rotund idiot attempt to intimidate a werewolf twice his height made it impossible to keep a smirk from cracking on my face.

"You laughing at me, Call? You think this is funny?" He glowered.

"No, sir, I'm sorry Mr. Phillips. It won't happen again," I sighed. As satisfying as it would be to mock my boss to his face, I did need this job. My family just didn't have the money to buy me new clothes and sneakers every time I accidentally ripped them phasing.

"It better not, Call. Now stop standing around and get to work!"

Once I straightened my disheveled uniform and found my pad of paper for taking down orders, I pushed open the double doors of the kitchen and walked out into the decrepit diner. I had been so late this time that I had missed the midday rush, and only a few customers remained. I approached Leah, who stood by the door next to the 'please, wait to be seated' sign. Why anyone had given her the job of hostess, I couldn't fathom. I knew better by now than to greet her with anything more than distant politeness.

"Leah," I said in a detached tone. I wasn't in the mood to mess with her today.

"Table seven," she replied, barely glancing at me. I turned to the booth in the far right corner of the room. It was situated by a wide glass window through which the nearly deserted main street of La Push could be seen, sheltered by hulking trees dripping with rain. I walked towards the green polyester booth and stood in front of the table.

"Hi, I'm Embry, and I..." I began, in a bored tone, looking down at my pad of paper. I glanced up at my customer.

Suddenly, the world shifted. My casual glance became an outright stare as I gazed, transfixed, at the glowing vision sitting before me. Her hair was the color of sunshine, falling wildly in waves down her back. Her head was tilted up slightly, revealing the graceful curve of her neck and shoulders. A shy smile played on her mouth, and her dove-grey eyes were somehow both soft and luminous, drawing me in with their peaceful beauty.

"I…I...uh…I…" My mind was spinning in a mist of confusion, and I couldn't focus enough to form a coherent thought.

"Yes?" she said, looking concerned. Her voice was like the soft rush of an ocean wave, making me feel almost too dizzy to stand. I managed to choke out, "I…I…I'll be right back" and bolted away as fast as my shaking legs would take me.

I pushed open the kitchen doors with a bang and leaned against the cement wall, breathing heavily. My heart was racing and I felt twice as feverish as usual. Luckily, Mr. Phillips was playing online solitaire in his office, and the kitchen was empty except for Quil; most of the staff was probably outside smoking. Quil looked at me, alarmed.

"Embry? You OK, man?"

"I just… imprinted on… the girl I'm supposed to serve," I said.

"Oh my god," said Quil "What are you gonna do?"

"I'm wondering that myself…" I sighed. The thought of facing such perfect beauty again was terrifying, but also thrilling. I knew that I had to go back eventually- I couldn't bear to walk out of her life. So I took a few deep breaths, called, "Wish me luck," to Quil and walked back out towards my angel, trying to stay calm.

My heart swelled at the sight of the sunny girl, and her welcoming smile made her face glow with beauty. I was caught off guard once again and said, without thinking, "Hi, I'm Embry." She chuckled and replied, "You said that already." I felt like an idiot, and my cheeks started to flush.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, um, would you, um, like something to drink?"

"Sure, I'll have a hot chocolate," she said. I found myself staring at her perfectly curving lips as she spoke. I wondered if I would ever feel the heaven of her soft kiss, and became so distracted that I didn't notice when she stopped talking, standing there like an idiot for almost half a minute until I realized I was supposed to leave and fill her order. I blushed again and stumbled back again to the kitchen.

"One hot chocolate, Quil. And make it good, please!" I said, looking him in the eye so he would know what I meant.

"Sure, sure," he said.

Table seven was not the only table I was obligated to wait on that night. There was an old woman who couldn't hear me unless I shouted at the top of my lungs, and a family with two toddlers more interested in throwing food than eating it. There was a couple on a date, clearly heading for trouble since the girl, her face caked with makeup and her skirt obnoxiously short, kept flirting with me while her jock boyfriend glared with envy. I tried to focus on my other customers, but my eyes were involuntarily drawn to the vision sitting in the far right booth. Twice she caught me staring at her, and though she immediately glanced away, I thought I saw a grin gracing her features.

Finally, her hot chocolate was ready, filled to the brim with marshmallows and whipped cream. I carried it out to her, wondering if I would be able to keep the tray balanced while looking into her eyes. Somehow, my experience carried me through, and I set it in front of her without incident. I watched her sip the drink, the look of contentment on her face making a smile appear involuntarily on my face.

"So, have you decided on your order?" I asked, trying to focus.

"I'm not sure…" she said, her face falling into an adorable expression of confusion.

"What's your favorite thing on the menu?" she asked, catching me off guard. Why did she want to know?

"Uh… the buffalo wings." I said.

"Really? They're good here?" she asked, grinning.

"Yeah, definitely. They aren't soggy or dry, and they have the perfect amount of spice. The pa… I mean, my friends, always demand them when they stop by."

"I guess that decides it. One order of buffalo wings, with bleu cheese on the side," she said in a decided tone. I was secretly flattered that she took my advice.

"Coming up," I said, smiling. What a girl! I sighed, and left her again.

I did my best to keep her happy, finally finding a use for all that customer-service stuff they had gone on about constantly during the one week training session I had endured before I was allowed to rise from bus-boy to full-fledged waiter. I made sure she always had a full basket of bread in front of her, and flashed her a smile whenever I passed her table. I hounded Quil to finish her wings at record speed, and when she said, "Oh my god, Embry, these look amazing! Thanks!" I felt ridiculously happy. As I passed her, I heard her fork fall on the ground with a clatter. I bent down, picked it up, and rushed to get her another one.

"Thanks, Embry," she said, reaching for the new fork. Then, her fingers grazed mine, and I felt a jolt pass though me, causing me to drop the fork. Again.

After forcing myself to return to the tables I had neglected and asking my now annoyed customers what they wanted, I finally returned to my imprint. For some reason, she was hiding her mouth behind her hands. Ok… that was odd.

"Mbry, coni ave nnapn ples?" she mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"Napn!"

"What?" Why was she doing that?

_"NAPN!"_

_"WHAT?"_ Exasperated, she pulled her hands away and yelled, **"I NEED A NAPKIN!"**

Then I realized why she had been hiding her face. Buffalo wing sauce was smudged across her cheeks, mouth, and chin, as well as the tips of her fingers. The look on her face was classic. I couldn't stop myself from erupting in a fit of laughter.

"Just shut up, Embry," she groaned, rolling her eyes. I composed myself into a straight face, took another look at her, and again burst out laughing. She playfully slapped my arm, and said, "It's not that funny," but she looked a little hurt. I sighed, saying, "One sec," and grabbed as many napkins as I could carry. She giggled when she saw the stacks and stacks of napkins in my arms, and I knew she had forgiven me.

When she was presentable again, I finally asked her the question I had been dying to ask since I saw her.

"So, I've never seen you around La Push. What brings you here?"

"Well, my grandparents live in Forks, and I'm taking care of them this summer. They're both having trouble getting around and they tend to get confused sometimes, so they need someone to keep an eye on them. We have a nurse for them, but, you know, there are some things she can't do. My parents would be over here too, but they have work, so, you know. It's frustrating sometimes, but I love my grandparents. They tell the most amazing stories…" she tapered off, her thoughts clearly in some other time and place.

"Wow," I said, simply. This girl was amazing. "I'm sorry, this may sound strange, but… will you tell me your name?" It was so hard, not knowing.

"Oh! Yes. Lena Chrystie." The name was perfect for her.

"Lena…" I said, loving the feel of it on my tongue.

"And you're Embry…"

"Call," I said. She smiled, humor sparkling in her gray eyes.

"Embry Call, huh? What a name."

"You got a problem with my name?" I said, acting annoyed.

"No, it's… very interesting."

"Why, thank you," I said with a grin, causing another perfect laugh to escape her lips. I had smiled so much today, my face was starting to hurt. But the joy in my heart was worth it.

"So, how about some dessert?"

"Um, sure. Anything chocolate," she said, sighing.

"Chocoholic, huh?" I said, smiling. "I've got just the thing. Trust me." I rushed back to the kitchen.

The restaurant had mostly cleared out by now, and so Quilsat in the back intently studying what appeared to be some kind of parenting book.

"Uh, Quil?" I said.

"Oh!" yelped Quil, jumping about five feet in the air with surprise and blushing furiously.

"What the heck are you reading?"

"Uh, nothing," he said, sounding embarrassed, hoping I would drop it. But he had laughed at me this afternoon, and there was no way I was going to pass up this opportunity.

"I somehow doubt that," I said. "Let me see it."

"NO!"

"Touchy…" He sighed, giving in.

"It's because of Claire, idiot. I'm just trying to learn, so I can be there for her. It's not like I'm an expert on kids." He looked away, lost in a memory for several minutes. Finally, he said, "Speaking of Claire, I've got to go. I'm babysitting her tonight." The look of anticipation and excitement on his face at this thought made me crack up.

"Big night, huh? Sounds positively thrilling."  
"Shut up, Embry. Could you try and be a little mature?"

"Ok, ok, just, do you know if we have any of those homemade brownies left?"

"What, you hungry?"

"No idiot, they're for Lena! Apparently, she loves chocolate."

"Ooh, Leennaa…"

"Now who's being immature?"

"Whatever. I'd love to stay and bicker, but Claire's waiting. Later, man."

I sighed and laughed to myself as Quil left me alone in the kitchen. I pulled two brownies, chocolate ice cream, hot fudge, caramel sauce, chocolate sprinkles, and whipped cream from the fridge. I piled it all into a bowl and brought it out to Lena.

"Wow," she said. "Was that even on the menu?"

"Well, no… I just whipped it up for you."

"Oh, you didn't have to…"

"No problem. Our kitchen staff has all left, so…"

"Wait, what? When does this place close?"

"Uh, closing time was…" I looked at my watch, "an hour and a half ago."

"Oh my god, I'm keeping you here overtime! I'm sorry, I didn't realize… I can go…" she said, anxious and embarrassed.

"Lena," I said, quieting her. "I told you, it's no problem. There's no rush. And I refuse to let you leave until you eat your sundae." I grinned.

"Well, if you're sure," she said. "It does look good…"

She ate her ice cream in silence. I slid into the seat across from her, contemplating. Our peaceful moment was interrupted by the peal of thunder. The rain was coming down heavily outside now, and darkness had fallen.

"Oh shoot!" she said, suddenly.

"Oh, no, what'll I do now?" She looked distressed, and I asked her, anxiously, what the problem was.

"I biked here," she replied, "and I don't know anyone who could take me home."

"Well… I'll drive you," I said.

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly, I don't want to inconvenience you…"

"It's no big deal, Lena. I'm happy to. Please let me give you a ride. It would be dangerous to bike in this weather."

"Thank you so much, Embry," she said, looking at me with such gratitude that my insides melted. I would do anything for her.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked.

"Yep." I brought her dish back to the sink, and when I came back out she was wearing her coat.

"Do you have a jacket, Embry?"

"Oh, no… I don't need one."

"But, you'll freeze."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine"

"Okay... " she said. As we were about to walk out into the rain, she turned and said, "Oh, wait, I forgot to pay the bill."

"Lena?" I said, smiling a smile just for her.

"Yeah, Embry?" I turned to her, looked straight into her stunning grey eyes, and whispered, "Let's just say it's on the house."

_**Fine**_

_Review please! More coming, assuming I make it through the week, LOL._


	2. Intruder

_I wasn't planning on updating until I got through exam week, but when inspiration strikes during a double period study-hall, who am I to ignore it? Not to mention the fact that several of my readers were threatening to die or attack me (with a rubber chicken, no less) if I didn't give them another chapter ASAP. This is signifigantly different from my first one-shot- darker, more exciting (I hope), and more emotional. But imprinting certainly isn't always light and fluffy- finding a soulmate for life is serious business. Anyway, I already have an idea for my next chapter, and that will be more on the romantic-comedy side of things, like the first one was. So, that's that. Love, LittlefairyAV_

Intruder

Seth Clearwater's Perspective

Suddenly, every werewolf at the bonfire whipped his head towards the shadowy woods bordering the beach. We all started towards the edge of the trees, instinctively positioning ourselves in our pack formation, Sam in the lead. We had started our weekly pack meeting, and had been discussing a pair of nomads when we had all heard a distinct rustle in the bushes behind us. As we approached the source of the noise, Paul and a few other members of the pack began to shake in fury. Someone had been spying on us, and we were not amused. Sam motioned silently for them to remain calm and human, and then reached into the spring foliage.

Whoever was hiding in the bush gave a shriek of surprise and began to struggle. For some reason, the fearful cry sent a jolt through my heart, but I shook the feeling off. Sam grabbed the intruder by the wrist and dragged her with irresistible force out into the open, as we all growled in anger.

Suddenly, I saw the face of the intruder, and I gasped. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her hair and eyes were the darkest black, and her honey colored face glowed in the afternoon light. She was strong, I could see that, but she was terrified. Her wide, frightened eyes met mine, and I took a staggered step forward, as if their midnight depths were magnetically pulling me towards her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sam was asking the girl angrily. "This is a private ceremony! Why don't you respect our traditions? Who do you think you are?"

"I'm sorry," the girl said, her lovely voice breaking. "So sorry. I was curious… I wanted to know why…"

Suddenly Sam slapped her across the face. Uncontrollable fury rose in me. How dare he? I growled, and raced to where the girl lay, crouched on the sand while Sam towered over her. Sam looked at me in confusion and frustration.

"Get back, Seth!" he ordered.

I fought against the order with everything I had- I could not let this perfect girl be harmed. I had to protect her; I had to comfort her. Sam's command could not bind me, could not keep me from the one I loved. I continued to walk forward, and with a single move positioned myself between Sam and the girl.

"No." I said through gritted teeth, pushing him away from where the girl lay shaking on the ground. He looked at me with shock and sudden rage.

"You dare to defy me? I am your Alpha! Let me by."

"I'll never let you touch her," I said, "No matter who you are."

I saw that many of the pack-members were shaking, fury burning in their eyes. To disobey the Alpha, to fight him? I had betrayed the pack. Yet, I felt no remorse- only rightness. I was protecting the girl, the girl I would do anything for.

I turned to her. She was looking up at me with an expression I could not understand. Seeing her face made me feel weak with love, and I willed her to trust me, to understand that I would take care of her. These moments in her presence were like nothing I had ever experienced. The thought of being away from her was unbearable, but I could see that this confrontation could easily become a fight, and I would not allow her to be in the midst of it. Any one of us might phase at any moment. "Listen to me," I said to the girl in a low and urgent tone. "I need you to run. I'll hold them off, and they won't come after you. If you stay here, you might be hurt."

"Seth…I…" she began, looking at me with such emotion in her eyes that I wondered if she could possibly care for me. "I… will I ever see you again?"

My heart was breaking as I whispered, "I don't know. I hope…" The growls of the pack interrupted me, warning me that I did not have much time. "Now go. You need to get away from here."

"Goodbye, Seth," she said. "Thank you." She stood and ran into the forest

As soon as she was out of sight, I allowed the scorching anger I felt at the pack to overcome me, and I phased into my wolf-form. The others changed as well, and the air was filled with an uproar of echoing growls.

_What is wrong with you, Seth? Why did you protect the spy, the intruder? _Sam asked in his mind.

_What choice did I have? _I thought. _I couldn't allow her to be hurt._

My mind filled with thoughts of that girl. _She was so beautiful. Whatever happens now, it will be worth it if she is safe. Still, it hurts to think I may never see her again. I wish I could have held her and comforted her; she looked so sad and scared. I wish I could have kissed her goodbye…_

Sam interrupted me, reminding me that everyone could hear my thoughts. _Seth. That's enough. Change back now. We need to talk._

_Promise me no one will go after her,_ I thought, resisting the order.

_Alright, everyone. We'll leave the girl alone. No one chase her,_ Sam thought, right before he changed back into a human

I was surprised that he had agreed to my request. Shouldn't he be furious at me? Now that I knew no harm would come to the girl, I phased.

Sam said, in a tired voice, "Come with me."

I walked down by the tide with him, wondering why he wasn't ripping me to shreds.

"Sam, I..." I began. He cut me off.

"Seth, listen," he said, looking at me. He let out a heavy sigh. "I owe you an apology. I'm so sorry. I should have realized what had happened when you disobeyed me. I was angry, but that's no excuse."

"What do you mean?"

"Seth. You imprinted."

I gasped. Everything had been happening so fast, I hadn't had time to wonder why I felt so much for the stranger. But now I realized that Sam was right. "Oh my god." I said. "I did, didn't I?"

"There is only one thing stronger than a wolf's bond to his Alpha. It is his bond to his soul-mate," Sam said in a low voice, his eyes on the distant horizon. He finally broke from his abstraction, saying, "Of course you acted the way you did. If anyone struck Emily…" He shuddered. "I'm surprised you were able to keep from attacking me." He laughed bitterly. "Now, go find her. You can't live without her for very long. You already miss her, don't you? Well, go now, I'll talk to the others. Go."

"Thank you, Sam," I said, as I ran into the woods to search for my true love.

Dusk was falling, and the forest was shadowy and cool. I walked quietly under the moss covered branches, all my senses alert. I felt a longing in my chest to see my imprint again. Finally I came across her scent, a scent so compelling I felt my heart begin to race. She had gotten farther than I had expected her to, and by the time I found her, shivering on the forest floor in the hollow root of a tree, the light had faded. She stood up, relief and powerful emotion on her face, and I ran to her, wrapping her in a tight hug.

She looked up at me, her tear-stained face filled with anxiety. "Did they hurt you? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." I assured her. "How are you? Why didn't you go home?"

"I was so scared, Seth. I got lost," she said, tears rolling down her perfect face. "Oh, Seth. I'm so glad you came back. I was afraid they would fight you. They all looked so angry, and..." she broke down.

"Don't cry," I said, "Please don't. Everything's alright. I'm here now."

"What happened? Why didn't they fight you?"

"Well… normally, you're right, they would have… I mean, doing what I did- I broke every rule... they were furious… but I talked to Sam. He understands now."

"What do you mean? What did he need to understand?" I gazed into her eyes, so dark and endless and dizzying.

"He needed to understand that this was… a special circumstance."

Her face held so many questions, but I wasn't ready to answer them in words. So I held her close and kissed her softly in the darkening forest, the sound of our heartbeats mixing with the rustle of the leaves in the wind.

Fine

_A few notes on this chapter:_

_1. In my interpretation of the Twilight series, werewolves can break official commands for the sake of their imprint. Sam couldn't tell Leah the truth, but once he found Emily, he could tell her everything. Why? Because the imprinting bond is stronger than any other._

_2. I have nothing against Sam. I just think he takes his responsibility very seriously, and that character trait gave me the basis for his actions. A spy learning pack secrets could have serious repercussions on the entire tribe. Of course, the irony is that now, 'the girl' will learn everything anyway._

_3. I picked Seth because I could, not because of any specific character trait. So if that bothers you, pretend it's somebody else._


	3. Curveball Part 1

_A/N: So I know I've been totally lame for not updating sooner. I have been working on this story and it's incredibly long- I've written six pages already and I doubt I'm halfway done. So I decided, instead of giving you guys this story in one enormous piece a week or so from now, I'm splitting it up. There will definitely be a part two or even a part three. It's still a oneshot, sort of, but made bite-sized. Also, just so you know, this story was begun before BD came out, and I am going to finish it like that, spoiler free! One more thing. I know many people don't know much about baseball. Especially my international readers. (Thanks to the reader traffic thing ff has now, I know that people are reading my stories in, like, Taiwan and Norway and Venezuela. So cool!) Hopefully though, I think the humor and romance will still come across, even if you don't know a strike from a ball. crosses fingers_

_So here goes!_

**Curveball**

**Part One**

_Collin's POV_

The Quiliute High bus was practically ancient; it was clearly from a different era then the more modern schoolbuses from Forks and Makah. The paint was a faded, mottled yellow, and the windows were more then a little grimy. The fake leather upholstery had a faint musty odor, and the sound of the squeaking wheels, creaking metal, and groaning engine created quite a racket on the road to Forks. My phys-ed class was going to play baseball with the Forks High class, and the excitement that only a change of scenery can bring was palpable in the air.

The pack had quickly claimed the far back seats of the bus, easily intimidating the other students who had tried to take the spot, and now we attempted to relax in the seats that were much, much too small for us. The only werewolf not sitting with us was Jared, who was seated next to his imprint, Kim, and was staring into her eyes in a way that could only be described as sickening. Quil was also pre-occupied with his imprint: it was the time of day when Claire got home from pre-school, and so he was talking to her on the phone, getting the daily update on who had thrown playdoh at whom, who had called whom what names, and what snack had been served that day, listening to it all with a goofy grin three feet wide on his face. Like I said, sickening. Jake was brooding, staring out into the dense woods that bordered the winding road. Paul kept hitting his head on the roof of the bus every time we went over a bump, and Embry was simultaneously trying to keep Paul from exploding and keep himself from bursting into laughter. Leah was currently PMSing, to the detriment of all around her, and was in tears in the far corner of the bus, her brother Seth attempting to comfort her. All was as usual.

And me? Well, I was talking to Brady, who had been my best friend since before I could remember. We were the two youngest wolves, and we were currently making plans for the weekend, assuming no bloodsuckers showed up in our turf. It had been a long time since we had hung out with no wolfy stuff getting in the way. It was Friday, and I couldn't wait for the week to end.

Finally, we reached the town of Forks, population miniscule. The reason we had come all the way out here was that neither our nor the Forks phys-ed class was big enough for a baseball game, so we each made up one team and played each other when the need arose. It was fun, I guess- though we wolves having to conceal our strength definitely put a damper on things, at least for us. I wondered what it had been like when those bloodsucker Cullens had played on the Forks team, but since I didn't want to make Jake even more upset, I didn't ask. It must have been quite a contest. Now, though, the Cullens were long gone, with Jake's crush Bella gone with them. Forks was now nothing but an ordinary town filled with ordinary humans- boring, typical, run-of-the-mill humans.

As soon as we pulled into the Forks High parking lot, the pack jumped up as one, anxious to escape the crushing heat and cramped conditions of the rotting old bus. And, as one, our heads slammed into the metal roof above us. As one, we yelped obscenities and came back down, rubbing our heads in pain. Every human turned toward us staring, except for Kim, who began to giggle hysterically.

Of course the injuries faded quickly, and soon the only evidence of our eagerness was the matching dents in the ceiling above our seats. We stood up slowly this time, and finally made it out of the bus. The November sky was pale grey, and rain was expected by nightfall (what a surprise…) The weather was crisp and cool, and the humans had donned fall jackets. Kim was the exception: she had 'forgotten her sweater' and so Jared had put his arm around her to 'keep her warm.' Right.

Forks High had a surprisingly well kept baseball diamond- bleachers, benches for both teams, real bases, and all the correct lines painted in white on the damp sand and astro-turf. Brady and I kept up a lively conversation as we walked slowly to the field. By the time we reached it, the king of the jocks at La Push, who also happened to be our team captain, had won the coin toss, and our team was up to bat. The pack went to sit together and watch the game.

The Forks team was mostly mediocre, but they certainly had some stars on their side. The most formidable seemed to be their pitcher, who, from the confident yet relaxed way she stood on the mound, was clearly comfortable with the game. From where I sat, all I could see of her was her back and her red hair in a high ponytail that swung gracefully behind her. She wore a jersey that read "Greene" in block letters on the back. I felt a very weird connection to her, like a radio station that's just a bit out of range, obscured with white noise. I tried to tune it out, and joined the guys in laughing at Jared's fussing over Kim.

He was currently having some kind of panic attack because he was trying to find something for her to sit on other then the cold wet grass. It was a funny sight. He was about to go intimidate a freshman into handing over his jacket for Kim to sit on when she leaned up on her tiptoes and whispered something into his ear. A blush spread on his face, followed by a grin. Suddenly, he grabbed her in his arms and sat down, pulling her into his lap. She giggled and kissed him on the cheek. At that point, none of us could stand the mushiness, and we turned away quickly.

Quil was still on cloud nine from his conversation with Claire, and was telling anyone who would listen about the minute details of her day. Actually, since no one but him had much interest, he was pretty much talking to himself. As always.

As we goofed off, the pitcher struck out the first guy that got to bat. He was one of our jocks, and he had clearly underestimated her abilities. He didn't get a single hit, not even a foul. She was really good. Up next was Leah. She was less idiotic then the guy, but she still struck out. She ran off the field screaming and cursing. Girls can be crazy sometimes.

And then, I was up.

I was not very worried about doing well. After all, I was a werewolf- strong, fast, and not about to get struck out by a mere human girl. I put on the batting helmet, gripped the wooden bat, planted my feet by home plate, and looked up at the pitcher.

The world shifted and spun unsteadily. I was dizzy- from all the spinning and from looking into her eyes. They were pure green, like emeralds, like seaglass, like the sunlight filtering through the forest at twilight. I had never seen eyes that were both so brilliant and so deep. There was a look of fierce concentration in her gaze, and I wondered what she was so focused on.

Suddenly, I heard a wooshing sound very near my head. With that, the sounds of the outside world exploded back into my head. I heard the thud of a ball hitting a glove, the roar of the spectators, and the harsh yell of the umpire: "Strike one!" Confused, I tore my eyes away from the spellbinding girl I had just imprinted on and looked around.

I noticed that my packmates were staring at me.

"What's wrong with you?" Brady yelled from across the field. I looked at him pointedly and motioned towards _her_. His eyes widened, and he whispered to the others. In one motion, they all turned to look at me with shock. And then, all at once, they collapsed to the ground laughing. _Laughing!_ I didn't see what was so funny. But I didn't have time to figure it out, because I was still up to bat. The umpire coughed in a disgruntled manner, and so I stepped back onto the plate, trying to steel myself. If I struck out, my pack would never let me live it down. Besides, I didn't want this beautiful girl to see me humiliated.

I looked back up at her, and my breath caught in my throat. Why did she have to be so… stunning? The captivating smirk on her face and the strong yet graceful way she stood sent a shiver down my spine. There was a part of me that wanted to run over there and wrap my arms around her, but I forced myself to admit that probably wasn't a good idea. I tried to desperately to focus, but then I noticed the way the sunlight shown through her hair and thought about how it would feel to run my fingers through it, or to stroke her freckle-dusted face.

"Strike two!"

Ugh. I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth and yelled at myself. "Concentrate! Don't go all love sick on me like Sam and Quil and Jared! You made fun of them! You promised yourself it would never happen to you!" But it was no use: mental images of the red-headed girl kept entering my head and making me dizzy. So I opened my eyes again. I refused to be made a fool of in front of the pack, even by my imprint. So I looked back at her, steadying myself. I caught her gazing at me with a strange expression on her face. When she saw that I had caught her staring, a rosy blush tinted her face, making her even more beautiful. What was going on? Why was she blushing? Could she be reacting to me?

I was even more surprised when she closed her eyes and bit her lip, shaking her head slightly- mirroring the expression I had worn earlier. I smiled. Maybe I wasn't the only one who was having trouble focusing on the game. She opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and stood straight up, but I thought she seemed a little shakier this time. I felt a flicker of confidence. Maybe I could do this. I only had one more shot.

The windup… the pitch… the ball flying through the air… the bat swinging towards it… the sound of impact… the ball spinning away, to a part of the field where no outfielders are standing… the sound of my heavy breathing and my footsteps, running to first base…

I did it!

I stood by the base, pretending to catch my breath, like a human would. The pack had stopped laughing, their jeers replaced by looks of disbelief. But I barely paid attention to them, because my imprint, the redheaded girl who had turned my whole life upside-down the moment I laid eyes on her, was looking at me with a grudgingly impressed smile on her stunning face. Her grin filled my body with a warm glow and made me feel happier then I had ever felt in my life. So, somehow, I completely missed the next pitch and the hit and the ball flying through the air and only woke up from my reverie when I heard the pack shouting together, "RUN!"

Oh, yeah, I was supposed to run to second. We were still playing a game. I began to race to the next base, but I couldn't concentrate. Instead of looking towards my goal, I couldn't help glancing at my imprint as I ran, and I saw her staring at me. When she caught my eye, she slyly winked her shining emerald eyes. My breath caught in my throat and a wave of dizziness overcame me. The next thing I remembered was flying through the air and pain ricocheting through my body as I fell on my face. I had tripped and had been too busy staring at my imprint to remember to break my fall.

"Out!"

Luckily, being a werewolf, the bruised feeling faded in a matter of seconds, and I was able to pull myself up. Then I wished I hadn't. It seemed like everyone was laughing at me. The Forks team jeered, my packmates snickered, even the impassive umpire couldn't keep from chuckling quietly at my misadventure. I had to fight the instinctual wave of fiery anger that surged within me, since phasing in front of everyone was obviously not a plausible option. But reason was not really what kept me from exploding in fury and shame. Because, amid the harsh ridicule, I heard the sweetest sound I'd ever hoped to hear. My imprint's clear and musical laugh rang out from the pitcher's mound, and I couldn't really feel unhappy. It didn't matter that she was laughing at me, merely that she was laughing. I walked back to where my pack sat and ignored their derisive comments, floating on my own personal cloud.

"Ugh, another man down," Paul said in disgust, "pretty soon we'll all be nothing but a bunch of lovesick puppies."

"Shut up, Paul," Quil, Jared, and I said together.

Kim was out of the loop, and asked Jared what was going on. He whispered in her ear, "Collin imprinted on the pitcher."

Kim's eyes got wide for a second, and then she smiled and let out an, "Awwww. How cute."

Every pack member, Jared excluded, burst out laughing.

"Awwwwwwwww!" they all said in a high pitched voice.

"Wittle Cowwin's in wove…" said Paul.

"Oops, sorry Collin," Kim apologized.

"No prob…" I muttered. "let's just watch the game, guys."

"And we all know how focused you are on the game, Collin."

I sighed.

"Black! Clearwater! Fisher! Get over here!"

We all groaned and walked over to the coach standing on the mound.

"I want you three to play this inning. Black, you pitch. Clearwater, you play second base, and Fisher, you play first."

We took our positions, and the game started where it had left off. Jacob was not a bad pitcher, but like always these days, he could not come out of his gloomy brooding to really make an effort, and he walked the first player. The next person up to bat was… my imprint. Oh god.

I tried to keep some amount of my self-confidence. Typically, good pitchers _suck_ at batting. It's a totally different skill set. And all I had to do was stand here and catch the ball. How hard could that be, right?

Nevertheless, I had to admit that my girl looked just as confident as always, standing at the plate, bat in hand. She smiled slightly, eyes gleaming, and held the bat over her shoulder like she had been doing it all her life. Jacob wound up and pitched the ball right over the plate. He had underestimated her.

She swung the bat in a graceful arc and it collided squarely with the ball, hitting it far into left field. She began to sprint towards first base, where I stood. Her long red hair bounced and shimmered as she ran, and the look of concentration on her face as she stared at me was mesmerizing. I forgot where I was, I forgot what I was doing… all I could register was that she was running towards me.

Then I felt something hard collide with the side of my head, and I crumpled to the ground.

_Mwahahaha! (Evil writer laughing) I love torturing my characters! lol. Poor Collin._

_So I hope you liked this. The next update should be up in the next few days to next week, depending on if I decide to break it up into three parts or two. Anyway, reviews are always appreciated… they keep me writing. :-)_


	4. Curveball Part 2

_Sorry it's been so long, guys. I know, I know. But here it is, the long awaited second half of Curveball. Hope you like it. I do. Don't forget to review._

_******************************************************************************_

_Then I felt something hard collide with the side of my head, and I crumpled to the ground._

I lost consciousness for a minute. My head was buzzing, and I felt awful. Soon the buzzing solidified, and I was able to hear the voice that I'd know anywhere, though I had never quite heard it before.

"Will he be alright? Is it a concussion? Should we call the ambulance? He feels feverish… is that normal?" she said, her clear melodic voice tainted with worry. I felt her cool hand on my forehead, on my cheek, and my heart rate picked up a bit, even in my semi-conscious state.

I opened my eyes and groaned. I had an awful, pounding headache. Still, she was kneeling next to me, concern in her sparkling green eyes, and so I wasn't _completely _miserable.

"Oh my god! Are you ok? Can you remember anything? Do you know who I am?"

"You're beautiful," I said, still too woosy to think clearly about what I was saying. She blushed slightly and said, "well… um… thank you… but… that wasn't what I meant… come on, who am I?"

"My imprint," I said, like it was obvious.

"Ugh, he's not making any sense!" she muttered, "Let's see, what game are we playing?"

"Uh… baseball?"

"Thank _god_, it's not a concussion. Here, take my hand. I'll help you off the field."

I never thought I'd be happy about getting hit in the head with a baseball, but then I never thought I would ever meet a girl like this. Needless to say, I was more then fine with holding hands with the most amazing person in the world as I stumbled to the bench. My coach came over and said, "Fisher, that's some bump you got there. You aren't playing anymore today."

I groaned. "Sure, coach, whatever you say."

It wasn't like I could say, "Well, actually, I happen to heal incredibly fast, since I'm a werewolf and all… so I'll feel up to playing in about, oh, five minutes."

That would not go over well.

But sitting here next to my imprint didn't sound so bad.

"How do you feel?" she said, looking at me with that caring look in her eyes that made my pulse race. Her hand had returned to the side of my face, and the contact felt so good it was scary.

"Dizzy," I said, truthfully. She looked more worried then ever, so I added, "but I'm fine, really."

"Really?"

"Never been better."

"Sometimes you don't make much sense," she said, laughing.

"Being sensible isn't my strong suit," I said. "Neither is playing baseball."

"You're not _that_ bad…"

"Yes, I am." I said with a sigh.

"You're just… easily distracted," she said, grinning

I groaned. "Is it that obvious?"

She just laughed, her head falling back, her eyes closing, mouth turned up. I could do nothing but stare and bask in the glow of her.

"You know, I don't even know your name," she said.

Whether it was from the hit to the head or the incredible proximity of the most beautiful girl I'd ever met, my brain wasn't exactly working at top speed. So I basically just stared at her like an idiot until she clarified, "Well? What is it?"

"Oh! Uh… Collin. Collin Fisher. You?"

"Uh… Cassie Greene, nice to meet you," she said, flashing a smile that made my heart pound.

"So, um, Cassie, have you always lived in Forks?" I asked.

"Nah. Just moved here this year from LA."

"Oh," I said, now understanding now why she seemed so unfamiliar. "Do you miss it much? Forks must be pretty boring compared to a place like that."

"Honestly? I barely miss it at all," she said. "The city is much less glamorous than it's made out to be. It's crowded and unpleasant and stressful, and you can only see a small patch of the sky. I love it out here."

I just sat and stared at her as she explained to me how she felt about her new home, letting the sound of her voice wash over me like a calming tide. The fact that she loved it here so much, that she didn't ever want to leave, made me so happy it was ridiculous. I couldn't stifle the mile-wide grin on my face, and I said, "Well, if you like Forks, you should come visit La Push sometime, to see First Beach. It's even more remote then this."

"I'd like to do that, Collin," she said. I was immediately addicted to the way she said my name. "Maybe you could give me a tour."

First I could only stare at her. _Did she just say what I thought she said?_ It took a beat or two before my mind could comprehend that Cassie had asked _me _to hang out with her. Then I shouted, "Yes! Of course!" a bit louder then necessary. "Uh, I mean, sure."

She laughed quietly to herself.

I had been so wrapped up in our conversation, I hadn't noticed that a boy with blond hair and a petulant, jealous expression, had approached us until he spoke. "Cassandra? Sorry to interrupt," she said, the look on his face making me think he wasn't sorry at all, "But we're waiting for you to pitch."

"Uh, thanks Mike. I'll be there in a sec."

He stood there stupidly

"I said _one second,_ Mike. You go ahead," she said, seeming a bit frustrated

He finally walked away looking disgruntled.

"Cassandra?" I asked, confused. She winced.

"Yeah, that's my real name. I hate it. You can just call me Cassie, ok?"

"Whatever you say, Cassie," I said, grinning. I liked the fact that she had asked me to call her by a nickname this Mike guy didn't even know.

"I guess I better go then, Collin," she said. I scowled. The idea of Cassie leaving my side was not a pleasant one. In fact, my headache, which had receded a bit, began to pound with more intensity then it had before. Nevertheless, she seemed… conflicted somehow, and her reluctance to leave reassured me considerably. Still, when she stood up, the emptiness she left behind hung heavy in the air. She turned back to me suddenly and put her hand on my bruised forehead again. I felt my heart race and my mind go blank at her touch.

"Collin, I…"

"Cassandra Greene!" the Forks coach shouted from across the field. "Hurry up!"

"Coming…" she muttered. "Feel better, ok?" she said to me.

"Yeah," was my brilliant response. She turned and gracefully jogged to the mound.

As much as I wished Cassie could have spent the rest of the afternoon by my side, I soon found that watching her play was enthralling- and much less embarrassing now that I was permanently on the sidelines. The first time she struck someone out, I started cheering, which made everyone stare at me like I was mentally deranged. Paul, who had been the unlucky batter, started growling at me under his breath, but I was too out of it to care.

I heard someone whisper 'Cassie' from across the field, and I looked up. A girl with mousy brown hair was whispering to a blond girl. They were talking about my imprint.

"Lauren, can you believe Cassie?"

"I _know, _Jessica! She was practically _throwing _herself at that Quileute guy."

"She's already got all the Forks guys wrapped around her finger…"

"I don't know why they like her… she's not pretty at all."

"She's a slut! That's why."

At this point I was already standing up, my eyes focused on the two harpies in the out field. How _dare_ they? Fury was taking control of my body, burning in my brain. I was lost to it. I was a monster. Nothing could stop me.

Through the thick smoke, I heard the only voice I cared about.

"Are you ok, Collin?"

Acute anxiety doused the anger, like someone had poured icy water on my head. No matter what, I had to make sure Cassie was safe. Turning into a wolf when she was so close was not a safe thing to do. I took a deep breath and started walking away from her, towards the bleachers. I would get away, try to calm myself down, and then maybe I could come back to her. Maybe. But right now I could not be near her, no matter how much I wanted to.

I guess I didn't expect her to follow me.

I looked behind me and saw her walking behind me as I retreated, looking curious and concerned.

"Wait up, Collin!"

The breeze pushed a fragment of the gossiping idiot's conversation to my ears. _Look at her, chasing after him. What a loser._ I almost lost control, clenching my fists so tightly it felt like the bones of my fingers would snap, and started to walk faster.

Suddenly I felt Cassie catch up to me and grab my bare arm, sending an electric shock through me. We were behind the bleachers now, alone in the shade.

"Where are you going?" she whispered.

"I have to leave. I have to get away from here," I said, pain filling my voice.

"Ok," she said, smiling. "Then let's go."

How good that sounded! But it was impossible. She was who I was running away from. I had almost hurt her, she had been so close. I couldn't bear hurting her.

"I'm sorry, Cassie… you can't come with me."

I walked further, but she continued to trail me.

"Because… I'm the reason you have to leave in the first place?"

I stopped and stared at her in shock. "How did you…"

She sighed, and I realized the confirmation had hurt her. I swore internally. She kept distracting me, and I had to leave. I couldn't afford to become more entangled. I kept walking.

"Why?" she called to me.

"Because I don't want to hurt you," I blurted out.

"You know that doesn't make the least bit of sense."

"I know," I said, wistfully. "I'm sorry."

"Well, you did say you weren't very sensible."

"It's true."

"But you know what?" she said. Now she was right behind me. She reached up and tugged on my shoulder. She was so close, and I was suddenly dizzy.

"I don't care. I'm not very sensible either," she whispered.

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. "Cassie, no. I… don't want you to follow me. Goodbye."

My heart ripped in two as I walked away from her. Why was I going down this self-destructive, self-loathing path? It has happened to so many of us. Why am I causing this much heartbreak. She must care for me, why else was she following me? And now she thinks I don't want her around. Why was I doing this to myself?

But I didn't expect her reaction.

"You're lying, Collin!" she shouted after me. "I know it!"

And that was enough for me to turn around. And that gave her the time to come towards me and start kissing me. Cassie. Kissing me. _Under the bleachers._

Can you believe it?

I couldn't.

So, of course, any residual feeling of anger dissipated when her lips touched mine. All I wanted to do was to stay there with her, holding her, breathing in her scent, for the rest of forever.

"I'm sorry, Cassie," I whispered as soon as my lips were free.

"Don't apologize! Just stay," she said. "I know I barely know you, I know I must seem crazy, but..."

"If you're crazy, I'm crazy too," I said. I kissed her again, ending that particular discussion.

"_Hey Batter, Batter! Swing Batter!_"* I heard an obnoxious voice shout behind me. Cassie and I broke apart and saw the whole pack… no the whole class… standing by the buses, staring at us. It was Paul whose comment had interrupted us, and who was currently doubled up in laughter.

Cassie turned back to me, her hair fallen out of its ponytale, her face flushed and her eyes bright.  
"What's that guy's name?" she whispered.

"Uh… Paul," I said, confused.

She looked around the ground, until her sight locked on a stray ball lying in the Astroturf.

"Perfect," she said. "Hey Paul!" she shouted to him from across the parking lot. He turned, looking surprised. "CATCH!"

She threw the baseball in a perfect arch, fast and hard… colliding right on target with Paul's disbelieving face.

She grinned up at me, making the world melt and spin.

"So, where were we?"

_Fine_

_* A sort of taunt or trash-talking common in Baseball, especially non-professional games... usually shouted to the batter by the opposing team to distract him/her from the pitch. _

_Hey, so I know my little Cassandra might seem a bit... forward... but I like it. It's a contrast to all those insecure, wimpy, damsels in distress who star in most romantic fanfictions. I have nothing against that type of character, but sometimes something different is good. Personally, I think Cassie is kickass, and she's my favorite character I've written. Thanks for reading, please review._


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